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 width=>>Duke Center Okafor Going Pro

Duke star Jahlil Okafor, who helped lead the Blue Devils to the national championship on Monday night, announced Thursday that he will forgo his final three seasons of eligibility and declare for the 2015 NBA draft.

Okafor arrived in Durham as one of the most polished big men to ever leave the high school ranks and didn't disappoint in his lone season under coach Mike Krzyzewski. The 6-foot-11 center out of Chicago was a consensus first team All-America selection for the 35-4 Blue Devils after posting averages of 17.3 points and 8.5 rebounds per game on 66.4 percent shooting.

Okafor was also named the National Freshman of the Year, as well as ACC Player and Freshman of the Year.

Once seen as the consensus No. 1 pick, Okafor is expected to contend for a Top-3 selection in the draft on June 26. He will join recent Duke one-and- dones Kyrie Irving and Jabari Parker, who were selected No. 1 and 2 in 2011 and 2014, respectively.

 width=>>Seven From Kentucky Declare for NBA Draft

Seven members of the Kentucky men's basketball team have decided to enter the NBA Draft.

Karl-Anthony Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein, Trey Lyles, Devin Booker, Aaron and Andrew Harrison, and Dakari Johnson announced their decisions Thursday in a press conference with coach John Calipari.

The Wildcats had a historic season, winning their first 38 games before losing to Wisconsin in the national semifinals of the NCAA Tournament.

Calipari said it might have been eight had junior Alex Poythress not suffered a torn ACL after eight games. Poythress had considered a jump to the NBA last year after his sophomore season.

>>UNC Forward Declares For NBA Draft

orth Carolina coach Roy Williams said Thursday the school supports junior J.P. Tokoto's decision to forgo his final season of eligibility to enter the NBA Draft.

Tokoto, a 6-foot-6 forward, told Yahoo Sports on Wednesday that he will not initially sign with an agent, meaning he can withdraw from the draft prior to the early entry deadline on April 26 and return to the Tar Heels.

Tokoto, a 2014 All-ACC defender, has averaged 6.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 steals in three seasons at North Carolina and was generally seen by observers as a player who would be a draft pick next year.

>>Former Duke Star, Buffalo Coach Hurley Named For Arizona State Job

Arizona State hired Duke legend Bobby Hurley as its new head men's basketball coach on Thursday.

Hurley, who led Duke to consecutive national championships as a point guard in the 1990s, spent the past two seasons coaching Buffalo.

He guided the Bulls to the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance this year in just his second season at the helm.

Hurley said in a statement issued by Arizona State that it was "difficult" to leave Buffalo, but that coaching the Sun Devils "is a tremendous opportunity."

He replaces Herb Sendek, who was fired March 24 after going 159-137 in nine seasons coaching the Sun Devils.

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